Bituminous coal is a soft, dark type of coal that burns hot and releases a lot of energy, making it valuable for generating electricity and powering factories. When you hear about coal-fired power plants, they're usually burning bituminous coal. This coal gets its name because it contains substances like oils and tars that make it burn intensely.

Coal forms over millions of years from ancient plants that got buried and compressed underground. Bituminous coal is sort of a middle stage: it's harder and more energy-rich than the crumbly brown lignite coal, but softer than the extremely hard, shiny anthracite coal that takes even longer to form. Picture it like cooking: lignite is barely toasted bread, bituminous coal is nicely browned toast, and anthracite is almost burnt.

Most coal mined in the United States is bituminous coal, especially from states like West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. It fueled the Industrial Revolution, powering steam engines, steel mills, and railroads. Today, burning coal creates pollution and contributes to climate change, so many countries are switching to cleaner energy sources like solar and wind power.